I have an Ubuntu Server that I use for multiple things. I have tried multiple times to install a GUI on it. I recently installed xubuntu-desktop and I got the same result from every other time, a looping startup. When I start my computer, it goes through its startup, showing things like "Starting [program names here] ... [OK]
" it does this and then loads what seems to be a startup of a gui. Black screen, mouse appears (but I cannot move it) and then the screen changes color in the background to a color similar to Ubuntu Purple. It waits a couple seconds, then goes black again. The only way I can get to another tty is by pressing escape rapidly followed by Ctrl+Alt+F1 or F2...I login and run command startx, then the screen goes black and a white rectangle, just shy of the size of a notecard, appears. Then nothing. No system response what-so-ever. No Ctrl+Alt+F# or Ctrl+Alt+Del response. Not even "sysreq+RIESUB" works. Only way to reset is by removing power. I am thinking of re-installing the server, but I'd lose a lot of work and I feel like I will get the same result again. I'd really appreciate if someone could help me with this.

Edit: It'd be good if you knew system specs. Ubuntu Server 13.04 (started 12.04 but upgraded), RAM 1GB, CPU Intel Celeron (yea i know, its old), Computer Make/Model - Dell Inspiron 1000. Currently installed and used programs - Apache2, PHP5, MySQL, MySQLi, CraftBukkit(MC Server), Samba (smbd and nmbd), and other minors.

Hi, I think you may need "lightdm" a login manager like kdm.

I have tried this, I have it installed. I have also tried gdm and slim.

. sorry that's about all I got.

to restart the x-session press ctrl+alt+backspace, sometimes doing this a few times in quick succession will drop you back to the shell.

Maybe ctrl+alt+F12 has the kernel messages....

Also if you can, have a look at .xsession-errors in the users home dir. It may give an error to track.
have a look here for errors, try dmesg | less to see just the end of the list.

I don't know .deb systems well enough.

thanks for your help. I am able to get to a shell, but the problem persists, the error logs did not show anything useful. No errors shown, just a looping startup. TTY12 didn't show anything either. If someone more proficient is on, i'd be happy if you helped.

very diff
hic hic

A quick google shows that the machine probably has a SiS M650 graphics chipset:
http://www.mikeshardware.com/reviews...000/index.html
A further google tells me that this could be a problem:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1164462
The reply on this page:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...uestion/145098
Has an example of an xorg.conf which might be worth a try.

wow, thanks, that helps a lot, Ill look into this fix, may be solved, but not yet